Because the technology used in new light bulbs like CFLs and LEDs is so different than the typical incandescent bulbs, standard dimmer switches often times don’t work properly with new bulbs. Common problems include a reduced dimming range often giving only three settings (full light, half light, and off) instead of the normal full range. Moreover lights can drop off entirely if the dimmer switch is placed too low. Voltage changes can also cause dimmable bulbs to flicker, and in some instances the lights won’t turn on at all unless the dimmer switch is set at the full light position.

By comparison, Lutron’s new line of dimmers, called C·L, uses HED technology that features advanced dimmer circuitry to combat these issues and improve the dimming capabilities of all types of light bulbs. The new switches work with dimmable CFL, LED, halogen, and incandescent bulbs. Best of all, Lutron’s new dimmers do not cost any more than dimmer switches already available on the market.

You may think that dimming the lights can’t possibly save that much energy, but this is not the case. Even just installing one of Lutron’s dimmer switches can give way to a 5 to 9 percent energy savings over a regular light switch. And the more you dim, the more you save. If you dim a halogen bulb by 35 percent, you’ll see an energy savings of 28 percent. Lutron estimates that if every homeowner installed two dimmer switches in place of regular light switches the potential annual savings could be $1.5 billion in electricity, and close to 25 billion pounds of CO2—the equivalent to taking more than 1 million cars off the road!

The C·L line has already captured several industry awards, including the award for the 2011 Edison Best New Product in Energy and Sustainability and a 2011 Consumer Electronics Mark of Excellence. And for those of us who have already made the switch to CFLs and LEDs, Lutron’s new dimmers let us save even more energy while giving us the what we need to create a much needed calm and ambiance in our busy lives.

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4 Comments

ramparthyApril 21, 2012 at 4:48 pm

After I put dimmable led bulbs into the fixtures, it started flickering when I turned on the dimmable switch in different level. I thought first that these bulbs are not dimmable as I wanted them to be, but I think right now that I am using the wrong dimmer switch for these dimmable led bulbs, what should I have to do to make it dimmable? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Had Enough DazzleApril 10, 2012 at 5:41 am

It’s too bad the writer of this article can get the facts straight. A Halogen light by defintion is an incandescent light source. All lighting that that uses a filament to create all its light is an incandescent light source. Remember the idiots selling some product on TV claiming you could call them to get more info sent you on DVD or Video? Lazy idiots that couldn’t say VHS so they assumed that if it wasn’t on DVD it would be on video. FYI, the official DVD charter documents specify that the basis of the DVD name stems from the term digital versatile disc. Later unofficial hacks started to call it Digital Video Disc but that’s like the lazy idiots that called pagers ‘beepers’. Back on topic now, Lutron is just another hack company selling old tech and pawning it off as cutting edge. All their old dimmers and this new POS dimmer they claim will dim CFL and LED is still old outdate tech. Heck these POS dimmers can’t even deliver more than 105 volts at full power when line power is 120 volts. What’s happening to that missing 15 volts. Is that waste? Lutron won’t answer that and continues to sell their garbage. Ever wonder why your Halogens don’t look as white as they did after you install a Lutron dimmer? That’s the reason, it’s not getting full line power so you are already dimming the Halogen bulb and shortening the life of the bulb and its bright output because the ‘Halogen cycle’ does not work below optimal voltage so the bulb will blacken over time as the tungsten filament wears away and deposits itself on the glass. Look it up if you don’t believe me. Lutron, fix your trash before a class action suit makes you.

These new Lutron dimmer switches will help to encourage people to consider converting their traditional incandescent lighting. They’ll be able to create the same lighting effects they have become accustomed to while at the same time increasing the energy savings with the CFL/LED and the dimmer. These should stand to be great options for green renovation/rehab projects. http://www.buildingwell.org/Energy+Efficiency+-+Lighting